Facebook claims there are 2 billion WhatsApp users
WhatsApp is a wildly popular chat program globally, but in the USA, not so much. Don’t get me wrong, there are many Americans that use it, but it is far more ubiquitous in other countries such as India, for instance. In the USA, SMS and iMessage seem to reign supreme.
Today, the social network Facebook — which owns WhatsApp — is celebrating a huge milestone. You see, the company is claiming there are now 2 billion people using WhatsApp.
Is this claim true? Well, Facebook is offering no proof to back it up, and the company has proven many times that it is incompetent through things like security failures and the sharing of fake news. In other words, take everything Facebook says with a grain of salt.
If the 2 billion user number is correct, however, that is very impressive — especially when you consider Facebook messenger essentially competes with it. Yes, Facebook offers two chat platforms for some reason. Combining the platforms would likely result in even bigger numbers.
In a new blog post describing the milestone, Facebook says the following.
Mothers and fathers can reach their loved ones no matter where they are. Brothers and sisters can share moments that matter. Coworkers can collaborate, and businesses can grow by easily connecting with their customers.
Private conversations that once were only possible face-to-face can now take place across great distances through instant chats and video calling. There are so many significant and special moments that take place over WhatsApp and we are humbled and honored to reach this milestone.
We know that the more we connect, the more we have to protect. As we conduct more of our lives online, protecting our conversations is more important than ever.
That is why every private message sent using WhatsApp is secured with end-to-end encryption by default. Strong encryption acts like an unbreakable digital lock that keeps the information you send over WhatsApp secure, helping protect you from hackers and criminals. Messages are only kept on your phone, and no one in between can read your messages or listen to your calls, not even us. Your private conversations stay between you.
Strong encryption is a necessity in modern life. We will not compromise on security because that would make people less safe. For even more protection, we work with top security experts, employ industry leading technology to stop misuse as well as provide controls and ways to report issues — without sacrificing privacy.
WhatsApp started with the goal of creating a service that is simple, reliable and private for people to use. Today we remain as committed as when we started, to help connect the world privately and to protect the personal communication of 2 billion users all over the world.
Are you a WhatsApp user? If yes, what country do you live in? Tell me in the comments below.
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